News Release

Ohio Tax Commissioner Tom Zaino said today he felt compelled
to remind citizens and businesses in Ohio that not paying or
improperly filing a tax return is not the way to protest
taxes.

His warning came following the publication of articles in
newspapers across the country about some businesses and
citizens who have opted not to pay taxes for a variety of
reasons.

"We know this is not a major problem in Ohio," Zaino said.
"By far, the majority of our citizens file and pay their
taxes. And, if they object, they object through the normal
channels: tax appeals process, at the voting booth or with
their representatives to the Ohio General Assembly."

But, Zaino continued, for those who choose not to file or pay
their taxes, or purposely file their taxes improperly, such
as by entering zeroes throughout their tax returns, they will
find the consequences serious.

"The penalties can include fines and prison terms," Zaino
said.

Zaino said the Ohio Department of Taxation, of which he is
director, is committed to finding tax evaders and seeing them
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Concluding, Zaino said, "So we want to warn those citizens
who have violated Ohio’s tax laws that they will be
prosecuted, and we want to urge those who are thinking about
violating our tax laws: DON’T."